The Oklahoma City Thunder’s season will end in the coming days, although they will have to start their season without Isaiah Hartenstein, who suffered a left hand injury during the preseason.

The team, one season removed from a 57-win campaign that earned them the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference, added Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, which should help propel the Thunder as a contender.

Just before the NBA regular season kicks off, Thunder star center Chet Holmgren spoke about his connection with Hartenstein and how they will adjust in their absence.

“He’s his own player… but there are aspects of what we do that are largely down to him being here. We don’t throw all that out the window and then pick it up again when he comes back,” Holmgren explained.

The Thunder are very process-oriented. It’s no surprise that the game plan won’t change much, especially with Oklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault talking about stacking up good days.

Holmgren, a 7-footer with unique skills combined with his size, will share the court with Hartenstein, and his role will change depending on the personnel on the court at any given time.

The Thunder open their season with a big task, facing Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Facing a big body like Jokic, Oklahoma City would love to have Hartenstein available. The Thunder star center explained that guarding Jokic will be a team effort.

‘It’s not my preparation. It’s more something that we prepare. He is a very good player and there is no guard on him. There is no one-on-one match for him. You guard him with a whole team,” Holmgren explained.

While guarding Jokic is a team effort, having Hartenstein to form the elite center would allow Holmgren to defend like a safety in football, floating around and clogging lanes as a disruptor.

Oklahoma City starting the season without Hartenstein will be different, but nothing they aren’t used to from a season ago.